By Ken Moore
GARFIELD pummelled a lacklustre Leongatha to get off the bottom of the table on Sunday.
The Parrots started with intent, Dom Davis scoring the first goal of the game, and went into the first change with a onepoint lead thanks to good midfield work by Caine Salmon, Jack Hughes and Tommy Dowd. After quartertime Garfield completely dominated, ramming on eight consecutive goals to hold a commanding 50point lead at the main break. After halftime, Garfield’s free scoring continued with another six goals to make it 14 in a row before Paul LePage steered home a major, the Parrots’ first in almost two quarters. The Stars went on win by 114 points. In a good team effort the Stars’ midfielders Shaun Pickering, Ben Marsh, Shane Reid, Ryan Munro and Jake Hower pretty much did as they liked. Beau Runnalls, with seven goals, was at his predatory best and captaincoach Ben Soumilas was a pillar of strength at centre halfback.
Warragul, after three consecutive victories, had a massive reality check, going down to Maffra by 117 points. The Gulls were torn apart early when the Eagles rattled on eight firstquarter goals to go into the first break 46 points in front. It only got worse for the Gulls as the Eagles extended upon its lead after every change of ends.
Maffra was just too strong and talented and its disposal skill was far superior.
John Reid, who returned to the Gulls after a season at Ellinbank, and Ryan Davey were prominent and Brendan Sheehan played a tight game on Maffra star Adrian Burgiel to restrict him to only three goals despite wave after wave of attacks.
Drouin was on the end of a 166point drubbing by Sale. The trend in the first quarter, in which the Magpies posted six goals to one, indicated it would be a long day for the Hawks. Sale had winners all over the field but no one better than Jason Schuback, who stole the show with 10 goals. The Magpies opened up their forward line to isolate the former Adelaide Crow, who had too many footy smarts for the inexperienced Drouin defence. The Hawks simply had no answers. After starting in attack, Chris Wallace was moved back to defence and stymied many dangerous forward thrusts and Jordan Edwards did well from limited opportunities across the forward line. Brenton Lockhart warrants recognition for a disciplined game on young Sale forward Chris Aurisch.
In the final game Morwell came from behind to mow down Traralgon by 28 points.
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